Electric-circuit-controlling device



May 26, 1925.

O. I. PRICE ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLING DEVICE 'Filed April 23, 1924 name flsr By Attorney Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

osBoRNE I. PRICE, OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE w. n. REIsNER MFG. 00., or HAGER-STOWN, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION or MARYLAND.

ELECTRiC-CIRCUIT-CONTROLLING DEVICE.

Application filed April 23, 1924. Serial No. 708,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSBORNE I. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, residing .at Frederick, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvements in an Electric- Circuit-Controlling Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates broadly to electric circuit controlling devices and more particularly to a combined indicator and electroma netic control device.

ne of the objects of my invention is to provide a manual and electromagnetic control for electrical circuit controlling purposes for various uses which is simple in construction and capable of relatively inexpen sive manufacture on a quantity production basis.

Another object of my invention is to provide a combined indicator and electromag netic operating mechanism for controlling the condition of an electrical circuit in which the electromagnetic mechanism is mounted to move to either of two positions for opening or closing an electrical circuit for actuating any desired control.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic circuit controlling device comprising a stat1onaryarmature and a movable electromagnetic system arranged in such manner that in closing or opening the electrical control circuit the electromagnetic system tends to seek a position with respect to the stationary armature wherein the magnetic circuit is of minimum length.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a construction of armature for an electromagnetic control device having pole faces angularly disposed in a direction towards each other with a pair of electro magnets arranged with correspondingly shaped pole tips adapted to move about a pivot in such manner that the pole tips assume a position directly adjacent the pole faces when one of the electromagnets is energized, the magnetic circuit thereof having a minimum length when the electromagnet is in such position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electromagnetic circuit controlling device having an electromagnetic system mounted to move to either one or two posi tions, the movable parts being sufficiently damped by the mass of the electromagnetic system to provide a desired degree of inertia with means for limiting the movement of the electromagnetic system and mufiling the mechanical noises inherent in moving parts.

St ll another object of the invention is to providean electrical circuit controlling device wh1ch has special application as a com trol in organs or player pianos with means for mufiiing mechanical noises preventing undesired acoustic disturbances with the op eration of such musical instruments.

Other and further objects of my invention will be understood from the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings for a part thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the relation of parts in my electrical control dev ce; Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking in a d rection opposite to the direction in which Fig. 1 is viewed; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of parts in my control device and showing the arrangement of the front plate for mounting the device in position; and Fig. 5 represents one application of my invention as a control device on the upper and lower manuals of an organ.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference character 1 represents a supporting frame or housing for the electromagnetic control device. The housing consists of a striplike member which is closed on one side by a front frame 2 forming means by which the device may be secured to any form of supporting panel by screws which pass through apertures 3, these apertures being so shaped as to permit adjustment of the controls to enable a multiple number of controls to be properly aligned.

A stationary armature 4 is rigidly mounted in the housing formed by a strip 1 and is secured in wall 5 of the housing and abuts against walls 6 and 7 thereof. The stationary armature 4 is a thin fiat sheetlike member having an extended tongue 8 at its central portion and a pair of pole faces 9 and 10 disposed on opposite sides of the extension 8. The pole faces are substantially areuate in form and are disposed at an angle toward each other. Adjacent the extremity of the tongue 8 in a direction toward tlie'front frame member 2, I pivot the electromagnetic system at a point 11. The electromagnetic system comprises a magnetic frame member 12 carrying a central forked member 14 through which the pin 11 passes for providing the pivot point adjacent the extremity of the armature en tension 8 as heretofore described. The forked member 14 is provided with an ex tension. one end thereof extending outwardly through a' slot 15 in the front frame. member 2 and there iss ecured on this extremity the indicating member. or tablet 16. One of the prongs of the forked member 14 extends in the opposite direction closely adjacent the tongue 4 of the stationary armature. There is a groove '17 in the extremity of this forked member 14 which cooperates with a spring device 18 seated at one end in a slot 19 in the wall 5 and extending through the slotto serve as a contact terminal 20. The electromagnetic system includes a .pair of electromagn'ets 21 and 22 having pole tips 23 and 24 correspondingly shaped to the pole faces 9 and 10 of the stationary armature. The magnetic system is limited in movement to either one or another position. by reason of inuilied bumpers mounted on the stationary armature adjacent the pole faces 9 and 10 but on either side of the extension 8. The electromagnetic system may rock from one positionto another position, aninitial impulse being imparted to the indicating member or tablet 16 when the circuit controlling device is manually operated and the control carried over towards the center of energy stored up in-the spring member 18. The movement. of spring member 18 operates to close or open an electrical circuit between contact 20 and spring member 27 which is provided with a terminal 28 in which the circuit from any desired control terminates. It will be understood that a multiple number of contacts may be closed by the movement hereinbefore described. The electromagnets 21 and 22 have their windings placed in an electrical circuit through terminal 29, flexible lead 30, connection 31 which is grounded upon frame-12, and throughterminal '32 grounded upon frame 1. The circuit through electromagnet 22 is completed through terminal 33, flexible lead 34, connection 35 grounded which is grounded upon the frame 1. When either of the circuits through electromagnets 2l-or 22 is closed, the electromagnetic-. s-.

tem -tends to move to a position in which e magnetic circuit has a minimum len 11. The circuits through the electromagnetsay be closed by any desired series of buttons,

or any combination of electromagnets irrirespective controlling devices may be c ontrolled from one or more buttons BIiZhBIfIH- centnand extremely the stationary armature providing a mag- 25 and 26' to frame 12, and terminal 32.

comprising in leads.

-'lhe'dottedline position of the parts in Fig. 1 represents the COIlClltlOIl existing when electromagnct 22 has become energized andelectromagnet 21 (fie-energized, in whichcase electromagnet 22 seeks a position where its arcuatc pole tip 24 moves directly adjaclose to pole face 10 of netic circuit through the stationary armature,'tongue 8, forked frame 14, magnet frame 12, and pole tip 24 of a minimum circuitous length.

Fig. 0 represents an application of my invention upon an organ keyboard in combination with upper and lower manuals 36 and 37. A row of indicating members or tablets is "shown, all of which are either manually operative or electrically operative by closing either of two circuits to rock the electromagnetic system to either of two positions and thereby open or close the organ control circuit between contacts 20 and 27 through terminals 32 and 28.

lVhile my invention has been described as being applicable to organ controls by reason of its quick action and silent operation it will be understood that the invention has a great many applications and while I have described my invention in a certain particular embodiment, it is to be understood that various changes can be made, and that I intend no limitations upon the invention other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

hat I claim and desire to secure by Let- (em Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. An electric circuit controlling device comprising in combination a. support, a. star tionary armaturesecured in'one side of said support and having a pole face on each side of a central section thereof, a frame, a. pair of solenoids carried adjacent opposite ends of said frame and pivotally mounted in a line passing through said -central section forming a magnetic circuit for each of said solenoids passing through said frame and said pole faces and spring means operative to retain said frame in a position in which one of said magnetic circuits has a minimum overall length for closing or opening an electrical circuit. A An electric circuit controlling device combination anon-magnetic support forming a housing, a stationary armature carried in one side of said houstremity of said extension and having a substantially similar extension mounted directly adjacent said first mentioned extension, a pair of solenoids mounted on opposite sides of said solenoidal frame and positioned with the pole tips thereof in proximity of said pole faces whereby energization of one of said solenoids operates to decrease the length of its magnetic circuit for moving said last named extension to a position for opening or closing an electrical circuit.

3. An electric circuit controlling device comprising a support, an armature fixedly mounted in said support, an extension on said armature, a solenoidal frame pivotally mounted on the extremity of said extension and movable to either of two positions, a

movement limiting device fixed on said armature on either side of said extension, a key member secured to said frame and means operative by movement of said solenoidal frame to a position in which said extension rests adjacent one of said movement limiting devices for closing or opening an electrical circuit.

4. An electric circuit controlling device comprising a support, an armature fixedly mounted in said sup rt, a solenoidal frame pivotall mounted jacent said fixed annature an movable to either of two positions, a key member secured to. said frame for manually rocking) said solenoidal frame, a pair of silencing umpers positioned on opposite sides of the center of said armature and means operative by movement of said solenoidal frame to a position in which it abuts against one of said silencing bumpers for closing or opening an electrical circuit.

5. An electric circuit controlling device comprising in combination an armature having a pair of pole faces angularly disposed toward each other, a pair of solenoids each having a pole tip correspondingly angularly disposed in a direction toward each other, a silencing bumper disposed in corners of said armature on opposite sides of the center thereof and pivotal means whereby one of said pole faces and pole tips tends to approach each other upon energization of the corresponding solenoid to a position determined by one of said silencing bumpers for opening or closing an electrical circuit.

6. An electric circuit controlling device comprising a support, an armature fixedly mounted in said support, an extension on said armature, a solenoidal frame p-ivotally mounted on the extremity of said extension and movable to either of two positions, a pair of solenoids carried thereby and each having one end of its winding grounded upon said solenoidal frame and the other ends thereof connected to terminals carried by said support, a key member secured to said frame, an insulated contact member carried by said support and spring means operative by movement ,of said solenoidal frame for closing or opening an electrical circuit formed between said support and said insulated contact member when a circuit is closed through one of said solenoids.

OSBORNE I. PRICE. 

